All mothers want to connect with their daughters as often as possible. Therefore, it’s important to have a special bond with your daughter – from her childhood to adult, and so on. Creating connective moments with your daughter will remind you to slow down and enjoy spending time with her, and just being there for her. Here are 10 ways you can build the mother daughter connection.
- Make Eye Contact
“It’s important to give your daughter plenty of attention,” says Brooke Gutteridge, a relationship writer at Australia 2 write and Writemyx. “That means looking at them – making eye contact with them – as you talk to her, and interact with her.”
- Laugh
It’s good to laugh every so often. So, why not do it with your daughter?
Laughter helps relieve stress and other storm clouds (i.e. arguing, dealing with conflict, etc.). Tell jokes or funny stories. Get silly. Laugh.
- Snuggle Time
Sometimes, we all need to have a good snuggle. Therefore, snuggling with daughter can be magical, and can strengthen your bond with her.
- Playful Responses
Sometimes, your daughter might complain or whine about something. Instead of snapping back at them, or getting annoying, why not try a playful response or two? Chances are, they’ll respond to those responses with the same attitude, thus winning them away from negativity.
- Small Moments Matter
There’s a time-long saying that one should appreciate “the little things in life.” The same is true, when you spend time with your daughter. Whether it’s a good laugh, going to the mall with them, doing dishes with her, etc., all of that matters. Acknowledging these small moments can help you reconnect with your daughter, and to strengthen the mother-child bond.
- Friendly Competition
Like playing games? You like a little competition? So does your daughter! So why not challenge her to minimal competition. Whether it’s playing a board game, having a pillow fight, or any other fun game. The ultimate goal is to have fun with your child.
- Just Listen
Sometimes, your daughter will need your special attention. She might be going through something, but she’s afraid of how you might react to it.
Therefore, it’s important to be a good listener. Listen to what your daughter has to say, and stay cool about it. This allows her to release all the tension that she might be feeling, as she pours her heart out to you.
- Be Supportive
As you become a good listener, you must also be supportive.
As her mother, you must be her anchor, and give her a warm loving spot to come and cry on. This tells her that her feelings are okay by you.
- Let Her Teach You
“Many times, parents can learn from their children; you don’t have to be the only teacher in the home,” says Alexandra Brady, a lifestyle blogger at Brit student and Next coursework. “Therefore, every once in a while, do a little role reversal, so that she can show you some of the things and hobbies that see likes to see and do. This helps you build trust with each other. Before you know it, your daughter will be more open to showing you how to do certain things like putting on makeup, or how to work social media like Instagram.”
- Show Affection
Affection is more than just kissing and hugging your daughter, you can spice things up in that department. Hugs and kisses in the morning, or when saying goodbye for school or work can make your daughter’s day. These kinds of physical affection lets her know how much you love her.
Conclusion
As you can tell by now, it’s essential for mothers to build a bond with their daughters. This special bond allows you to be in the loop, as your daughter grows up, and might have children of her own. Although every mother/daughter relationship may differ, it’s still important to make sure to keep that bond strong, because ultimately, mothers and daughters can be the best of friends, before anyone else. And, even if you have a busy schedule, there’s nothing wrong with setting aside time for your child, because chances are, she’ll thank you for it.
More ways to connect with your child here on our Magazine.
As you read through these 10 points, see which ones are right for you – reinvent some of these, if you’d like – and have fun with your daughter!